Mentors

How many of you actually feel like you have a mentor in your current work situation? You know, someone you can talk to, who has been what you are going through, and someone who generally just wants to see you succeed? I am guessing not very many of us. I think if more of us had mentors we might be happy in our jobs. I know the entertainment and music industry is primarily male dominated, but there are some amazingly successful women out there. Last night I was lucky enough to have dinner with one of them. I met this lady over 5 years ago when she spoke at the Priceless Edge Music Business internship program I won. There were 50 of us eating lunch the day she came a talked to us and she decided to sit by me and one other girl. I am not really sure what we talked about, but that didn't matter, it was that she chose to sit by US. It might have been random or it might have been luck, but she sat by us.

My path has crossed a few times with her in the past 5 years, most recently while I was in LA for a conference. I knew she would be in Nashville for a conference this fall. I e-mailed her and she got right back to me and we set up dinner plans. We had dinner last night and it was one of the best dinners I had in a while. I told her about my longing for a mentor and she was so willing to help me out. She told me I need to get to NYC in November for a conference. And I feel I need to get there too. In fact I have the flier on my desk. She treated me to dinner because she could and she wanted to. We drank old fashioneds. I mean this lady loves Jack Daniels. What's not to like about her. She asked me a bunch of questions and basically I have a lot of work to do on Monday. She could tell I was passionate about my job and the industry. She said she doesn't take everyone out to dinner. She also said she was a firm believer when one door shuts another one opens. She believes in me.